The unexpected success of Godzilla Minus One, not only becoming a global box office sensation but also the first film ever in the series to win an Oscar, meant that a follow-up was all but guaranteed. Naturally, the tease at the end of the film, that Godzilla’s heart was still beating and would likely regenerate, was proof enough, but the accolades and ticket sales took it to another level. Three years later, filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki has not only delivered a worthy follow-up to the last movie, but proven that his filmmaking sensibilities rival most of his contemporaries.
Godzilla Minus Zero picks up two years after the previous film, continuing the threads of how a post-War Japan struggles to rebuild itself while facing the uncertain threat of a new kaiju (plus Godzilla’s feared return). Fans of the first movie may quickly realize that Minus Zero finds exciting ways to both match and exceed what came before it, but one of its biggest problems is that the fresh ideas it brings to the fold either get forgotten or take a left turn that’s not especially satisfying. In the end, though, it’s the spectacle that makes a Godzilla movie memorable, and Minus Zero has some of the franchise’s best set pieces.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Even though the conclusion of Godzilla Minus One was pretty definitive, the sequel hits the ground running, not only by establishing a new threat with a fresh take on a classic Toho antagonist but also revealing how life has changed for the lead characters from the last movie. Hidetaka Yoshioka’s Kenji Noda, still one of the bright spots in the entire cast, has gone from former naval weapons engineer to leading an all-new bureau designed to help during disasters (one that specifically targets monsters).
Noda’s place in the film feels like one of the movie’s support beams, and Yoshioka’s performance remains mesmerizing thanks to his leadership and navigation of these wild scenarios. Standing in stark contrast to him, though, are other returning characters, with both Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi and Minami Hamabe as Noriko returning. Their roles remain integral to the larger plot, but the melodrama that defines every scene they’re in is often cumbersome.
Though the major characters from Godzilla Minus One return, the new faces introduced to the canon are actually the most interesting. Masami Nagasawa’s weather prodigy feels quintessentially part of the Godzilla canon, having a distinct place in the plot with her skills fitting into the big picture and an enjoyable arc. On the flip side is Min Tanaka (seen above) as a biologist who harbors intense trauma, bringing a dark character with no pretense to the equation who is fully entertaining every time he’s on screen.
From frame 1, Takashi Yamazaki proves his blockbuster sensibilities weren’t a fluke in Godzilla Minus One, and he might have even gotten better while making Godzilla Minus Zero. The film’s opener is a one-shot tracking sequence that shows not only a full command of staging and camera placement, but also sets the stage for how he’s mastered escalation. It also helps that the score by Naoki Satō proves to be one of the entire movie’s best assets, with a recurring theme that is haunting and can be felt in your bones.
Across Godzilla Minus Zero‘s big set pieces, Yamazaki’s secret weapon is laying all his cards on the table and showing the audience what should happen, only to always find a way to subvert expectations of the scene and force his characters to adapt. These blockbuster moments are not only dazzling to watch but have a breathtaking pace.
The side of Godzilla Minus Zero‘s action that fans are most likely to engage with is the kaiju spectacle, which genuinely delivers moments unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It’s not only a testament to Yamazaki’s creativity as a filmmaker, but also to how he can marry the set pieces with the underlying thematic notes of the film itself. There’s not only a sense of awe required for these moments where the scale feels real and grounded, but it’s able to keep the tone consistent. When the monsters throw down in this movie, it has weight, with attacks that are some of the best in the history of the Godzilla franchise.
There’s a somber tone that permeates both Godzilla Minus Zero and its predecessor. Unlike the American-made films from Legendary that fully embrace the tokusatsu sensibilities of the ’70s and play like live-action Saturday morning cartoons, Yamazaki’s films live fully in the same arena as Ishirō Honda’s original movie and the conditions of being attacked by the atomic bomb. To that end, it’s expected that solemnity will define it, but throughout Godzilla Minus Zero, the film wanders away from having weight to its drama and instead borders on near self-parody.
As noted, the new characters in Godzilla Minus Zero are some of the best additions to the equation, but Kōichi Shikishima and Noriko maintain the biggest place in the film’s overall narrative. Though some elements of their story are captivating as an evolution of where they were in the last film, other times the taffy is stretched a little too long, not only repeating what we’ve already seen but wallowing in the difficulty of the characters’ decisions in a way that begins to feel rote.
Even more bizarre are some of the other story beats that arrive as distinct narrative turns from Godzilla Minus Zero‘s predecessor, only to be waved away with last-minute twists. To their credit, some reach an enjoyable conclusion, but others are pretty unsatisfying as an endpoint.
Godzilla Minus Zero has the rare distinction of not only being a Godzilla sequel that stands alongside what came before but also knows how to up the ante in the places fans really want. Takashi Yamazaki has a keen hand in delivering not only spectacle but keeping things entertaining and never predictable. The only hindrance is the human side, which can be satisfying but equally perplexing. On the whole, Godzilla Minus Zero is another win for Toho, but it does keep with franchise tradition in having moments that might leave you scratching your head.
